The present invention relates to a switching device, in particular a position sensing switching device, which generates switching signals.
Different switching devices are known from the prior art, most switching devices using mechanical switches. However, a significant disadvantage of these switching devices is that they have mechanical switching units or mechanical microswitches and mechanical sliding contacts for generating switching signals. The mechanical switches have the disadvantage that they do not operate without wear. Their service life is limited, on the one hand, by material erosion of contacts, by changes in material (oxidation) and by deposition on the switching contacts which are caused by mechanical friction, electrical overloading or the occurrence of an arc during the switching-off or switching-over process. The vibrations of the entire gate-type-gear changing unit also lead to increased wear of of the sliding contacts and sliding tracks of the mechanical sliding switches.
Other switching units which eliminate the disadvantageous property of the mechanical switching contacts are known from the prior art. An example of such a wear-free switching contact is an inductive switching contact. Such an inductive switching contact is described in the patent application “position sensor” with the official number EP 00 101 661.7 submitted to the European Patent Office on 1 Feb. 2000. The aforesaid European Patent Application has the same applicant as this application.